The NBA is back with the start of the 2026-27 season.
The Detroit Pistons start the season Tuesday at 3 p.m. hosting the Boston Celtics in a matchup of last season's Eastern Conference 1-seed and 2-seed.
So, it's time for our annual Pistons predictions and NBA Finals picks.
We tasked our NBA experts with answering burning Pistons questions, including picking a breakout player, predicting the trade deadline, final record and mapping out the fascinating East standings and NBA playoffs.
Make "The Pistons Pulse" your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you get podcasts (Apple, Spotify) or watch live on YouTube.
Omari Sankofa II, Pistons beat writer
- Biggest question: The Pistons are different, but are they better? They added shooting and depth over the summer, but have to prove it was enough to stay afloat in an improved East.
- Breakout player / biggest leap: Jalen Duren. A player who has always been physically dominant looked even more dominant during preseason, and enters Year 5 with something to prove.
- Player I’m watching closely: Ron Holland. He was the team's second-best perimeter defender last season as an NBA sophomore and has been working to expand his offensive game.
- Trade deadline target(s): Michael Porter Jr. (Brooklyn) and Norman Powell (Chicago). Both offer big-time shotmaking and play for teams that should have incentive to sell at the Feb. 11 deadline.
- Bold prediction: The Pistons lead the East in wins, again. Depth and defense lead to regular-season success, and I'm not convinced there's another team in the conference better in those categories.
- Pistons record: 56-26. It will be tough for them to hit the 60-win threshold again, but they shouldn't need to in order to win the conference.
- Eastern Conference standings: 1. Detroit Pistons (56-26), 2. Boston Celtics (55-27), 3. New York Knicks (54-28), 4. Cleveland Cavaliers (53-29), 5. Indiana Pacers (52-30), 6. Toronto Raptors (51-31), 7. Philadelphia 76ers (50-32), 8. Miami Heat (49-33).
- Pistons’ playoff run: Ends in Eastern Conference finals, falling to the 76ers in seven games. Assuming every team is healthy, the Sixers have the most playoff-ready starting five in the conference with the additions of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James.
- Conference finals: 76ers over Pistons; Oklahoma City Thunder over San Antonio Spurs.
- NBA Finals: Thunder over 76ers in 7. This will be a hard-fought Finals, but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is matchup-proof and will hit the tough shots necessary to win a second title in three years.
Shawn Windsor, columnist
- Biggest question: Shooting? Nah, it's ballhandling. If Ausar Thompson and Jalen Duren improve their handles, the Pistons improve their offense. If not … enjoy the muck.
- Breakout player / biggest leap: It's easy to say Thompson. Easier to say Duren. I'll say both, and both played with more purpose and efficiency in the preseason.
- Player I’m watching closely: John Collins. He struggled defensively in the small sample size of the preseason. He doesn't need to be great. But he does need to compete and be in the right spots.
- Trade deadline target(s): Dallas' Kyrie Irving? The Pistons would love to have him. But if New Orleans is underwater, maybe it'd finally part with Trey Murphy III for less than four first-round picks.
- Bold prediction: The Boston Celtics will make the Eastern Conference finals. So will the Detroit Pistons.
- Pistons record: 54-28 – the Pistons will be better this season but will lose more during the regular season. Everything is about the playoffs.
- Eastern Conference standings: 1. Boston Celtics (55-27), 2. Detroit Pistons (54-28), 3. New York Knicks (51-31), 4. Toronto Raptors (49-33), 5. Philadelphia 76ers (48-34), 6. Indiana Pacers (47-35), 7. Cleveland Cavaliers (46-36), 8. Miami Heat (46-36).
- Pistons’ playoff run: East finals. The Pistons beat the Knicks in Round 2 in seven games and then fall to the Celtics in seven in the conference finals. They get revenge on New York but get outshot – barely – in Boston.
- Conference finals: Celtics over Pistons; Thunder over Spurs.
- NBA Finals: Thunder over Celtics in 6. Mitchell Robinson narrowly misses a second straight title. Oklahoma City reminds everyone what they look like when they are healthy.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pistons NBA predictions: Record, trade targets, playoffs, Finals pick
